Inquiries and reviews

Risk of harm inquiries and serious further offence reviews

We carry out ad hoc independent reviews of Serious Further Offence cases – ie cases where an offender under probation or YOT supervision commits a serious further offence – at the request of Ministers.

In particular, during the course of 2005-06 we carried out three independent reviews of SFO cases, each of which attracted considerable publicity:

We also provide advice to NOMS HQ on the handling of their reviews of SFO cases.

We also carry out other Risk of Harm inquiries relating to particular cases.

In March 2007 we published Not Locked up but Subject to Rules (PDF, 424.60 kB) the report of an inquiry requested by the Home Secretary following a Panorama programme in November 2006 about the supervision of offenders in approved premises (hostels) in Bristol.